Topic: Interludes

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

Greetings from beyond the Rim! K-Fo has returned!

This thread will contain various vignettes and one-off short stories that will explore my main character's past and flesh out his character and personality a bit more. Some of the mini-stories in this thread will provide foreshadowing for full-length story plans I'm currently working on, others are simply character pieces written to give everyone(including myself) better insight into the character, as well as polish all the rust off of my writing skills. There won't be any real schedule to my posting here; I'll write them whenever I get the idea for them. I do have several ideas right now, so there might be more additions to this thread in the next few weeks. We'll see.

I can't ask enough that everyone please read and comment; these pieces more than anything else at this point will shape how I write this character whenever I get around to doing my massive relaunch of Kieran's STU.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading more about the life and times of Kieran Forester.

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

Interlude I: Reflections on Acheron
----------------------------------------------------------
Klingon-Federation Neutral Zone, somewhere near the Mutara Nebula
August 16, 2281

The air inside Klingon science station Vrai't was pungent with the charnel smell of death.

Whoever had attacked the Klingon outpost had been quite thorough, and had obviously had the time to indulge the dark side of their imagination. Spatters of lavender blood dotted the walls and the smashed remnants of computer consoles. Smoke still hung in the air, a reminder of the recent presence of the Klingons' mystery attackers. The only sound to break the eerie silence was the soft clank of boots on deck plating.

Lieutenant Commander Kieran Forester wrinkled his nose and grimaced at the smell as he studied his tricorder. His off hand tapped the butt of his phaser restlessly as he collected his readings, scowling as he studied the display. His scans weren't yielding much in the way of useful information; he sighed in annoyance as he closed the tricorder and returned it to its belt holster.

"Ugh." He grunted in displeasure as he nearly tripped over the corpse of a Klingon. Like the several other corpses in the room, this body had been horribly mutilated by the attackers. The Klingon's armor had been sliced to ribbons, and most of his midsection was simply gone, as if something had ripped his stomach out. Kieran's gaze moved to the dead Klingon's face; the corpse's features were twisted in horrific agony.

"Anything new, Commander?"

Kieran turned away from the Klingon corpse towards the voice of his captain. "No, sir. Their computer systems are off line, and my tricorder's not telling us anything we don't already know." He turned away from Captain Richthofen to regard the dead Klingon. "Poor sorry bastards," he said softly.

"I wouldn't waste my sympathy, Commander," called out Richthofen's voice behind him.

"Sir?" Kieran asked, his head tilted in confusion.

Richthofen was standing next to him, staring down under a furrowed brow at the dead Klingon. "These... people... are the enemy, Commander. This fellow here--" he prodded the Klingon with his boot "--would have liked nothing more in life than to disembowel you with his mek'leth. However, thanks to the winds of fate, it is you standing over his corpse and not vice versa." His voice softened ominously,and he went down to one knee, his gaze sweeping over the Klingon's face. "Even in death, that rage, that bloodlust, never disappears from their eyes." He looked back, raising his head to look at Kieran. "They'll never stop hating us until one of our races is extinct. It will one day come down to a simple matter of us or them. You realize that."

The unspoken question was evident in Richthofen's tone. Kieran swallowed, suddenly feeling uneasy. "I don't know, sir, I... suppose so." He felt his face heating, and his eyes broke contact with his captain's. "I just... I'm not sure I'm comfortable thinking in such absolutes. I mean... there's always an exception." Kieran's eyes dropped again to the dead Klingon. The corpse's lifeless eyes stared at the ceiling. Kieran looked for that spark of hate, that last cooling ember of rage, but he saw nothing. Only the cold remorse of death, the same woeful emptiness he would expect to see in any other dead man's eye.

Richthofen nodded, his features relaxing. "I assume you're referring to the Klingon you met on Khatora? Khelorik, the one that helped you rescue the Starfleet prisoners?" Kieran stayed silent, but the look in his eyes was all Richthofen needed. He chuckled sardonically. "Don't give the Klingon more credit than he's due. You were rushing at him with a squad of Starfleet marines and he found a way to buy his life from you. Don't let yourself be fooled, Commander. He'd have just as soon killed you as looked at you. You, and every other human, for that matter."

Richthofen rose to his feet. He walked away from the dead Klingon, Kieran following in his wake. "Starfleet is ostensibly an organization dedicated to research and exploration. Why, then, have we had to fight off Klingon incursions almost from the very moment of first contact? The Mal Satz Conflict of 2232. The Battle of Donatu V. The Four Years War. The Organian conflict. Countless other skirmishes and raids over the past seventy-plus years. They've shown no desire to peacefully coexist with us, and they hide their hatred behind flimsy excuses of dwindling resources and overcrowding. Someday, the Federation is going to have to realize the truth before we wake up and find Klingon warships orbiting Earth."

Kieran was torn. His mind raced, and he was struck speechless for several seconds as a tumultuous flood of thoughts and feelings stormed through his mind. Uncertain cobalt eyes met hard steel gray. In that second, Kieran could see the uncompromising resolve in Richthofen's soul, the strength and force of will that fueled him and that had made him a man Kieran had come to respect and admire in the short time the younger man had been on Menahga. His pulse quickened as Richthofen's words repeated themselves in his head, and he couldn't help but seriously consider what the captain was telling him.

An incredulous voice sounded in the back of his mind. Are you serious? The man's advocating genocide, and you're here about to agree with him? The tiny voice was washed away, however, by a sudden flash of anger. Anger, and something else... a dark feeling, something that he couldn't quite describe... something that felt right, yet something that a part of his mind told him was wrong. Kieran squared his jaw, and the words forming on the edge of his lips finally spilled, unable to be contained any longer. "I... suppose I never thought of it in those terms, sir. It's not a pleasant thing to consider... the thought of an entire race destroyed at the hands of another, but I... I suppose you've got a point about the Klingons. We can't trust them, can we?"

With that admission, the mood seemed to lighten. Richthofen smiled and clapped Kieran on the shoulder. "Don't get me wrong, now. I'm not advocating a cataclysmic war-to-end-all-wars against them. Lord, I'm not that fatalistic. I just wish the Federation would realize just what kind of monster they're dealing with." His steps halted, and he regarded Kieran with a somber expression, a change from his sudden joviality a moment ago. "I'm glad we had this discussion, Kieran. Captain Hejduk was right about you, you're a bright young man."

He was interrupted by the insistent beeping from the communicator on his belt. In one smooth motion he took it out and flipped it open. "Richthofen here."

"Captain, this is Commander Rozhdestvensky. We've found something down here you'll want to see."

"Acknowledged, Commander; Commander Forester and I will be down momentarily. Richthofen out."

As the two men moved to exit the command center, Richthofen paused and turned to face Kieran. "Commander," he began, then paused. After taking several seconds to consider his next words, he continued in a quiet tone. "What do you know about a man by the name of Rittenhouse?"

[Commander La'ra]

Very cool.  Like the look at a younger, less certain, Kieran Forester.  I like that we get a nice glimpse of some believable racial hatred...the kind that would inevitably exist after a century or so of tense relations and violent encounters.  Lots o'fan fic has the Federation seemingly immune to such things...and while their training and mindset might discourage such feelings, they're going to sink in after decades of hostility.

I also like the fact that you're not afraid to show how ugly it is, even from the point of view of someone feeling it.  There's a very dark side to the whole 'gung ho, ass-kicking, Fed in a society that doesn't understand him' stereotype that's so popular in fanfic, but many authors either won't show it or ignore the consequences.  You avoided that trap, but didn't go too far the other direction either, which is to be commended.  You and the Guv are both very good at finding that balance.

Give us s'more.

[Governor Ronjar]

I very much liked this.

I never bought in on the Roddenbury ideal that racism was 'A thing of the Past' crap. I comes out in any conflict, whether the person felt such before facing 'the enemy' or not. When you are attacked or have to deal with violence unleashed by another, you are going to hate that person/group.

Right now I'm reading 'Sea of Thunder'. It's a good book about WWII and the Pacific Campaign, but the author feels he has to tell the reader WHY men like Halsey coined phrases like "Kill Japs, Kill Japs...KILL MORE JAPS!" and "Keep the Japs Dying!"  He tries to explain that dispite his saying such things, he really was a good person... Have we really gotten so far removed from real life in the rest of the world that things like that have to be rationalized to the majority of us? As though we can't understand it ourselves?

I think that was the kind of world Gene had invisioned. That's all nice, but its unrealistic. And it can be dangerous to let that go too far. Lead to a similar incident as Pearl Harbor or the Trade Center. I like the fact that your secondary character has set beliefs about what the Klingons are. 'Monsters'. Absolutely different and he cannot abide by them. Whether one likes that one character or not, its refreshing to see someone with such beliefs in a story where the goal ISN'T about making him see otherwise.

And, its good to see that you found that nice middle ground La'ra mentioned. And 'thank you' to him for giving me the nod as well. Someone once told me something that I remember every day. "In life, all things in moderation...including moderation." I like stories that kind of go with that idea.

anywho, good read! Best I've read in a while!

--keep her comin'
--thu guv!

[Scottish Andy]

I third Larry and the Guv's comments. I think I know who Larry had in mind with some of his comments but they are very true.

  I feel the Guv's comments are very insightful into the 'modern' mindset that is prevalent in todays society. It is impressed on us again and again that we are not allowed to hate The Other, we are not allowed to distrust The Other, that if we just try harder to understand The Other they will come to respect us for who we are just as we try to respect them for who they are. Our own leaders and would-be leaders are telling us that it is unworthy of us to even consider that mode of thought.

And that, IMHO, is far removed from real life. But that is also the reason that the Guv's author feels he has to keep saying "he really was a good man". It may not be the actual majority viewpoint, but it is so magnified in today's Information Media blitzkreig on our senses that it seems to be all around us, and the sad part is that it does appear to be feeding on itself. 

Kudos to the Guv's friend. I try to live that saying every day. Buddists rule! *grin* 

Now, getting back to the reason we're all here... 

I liked this a lot too, Kieran, though until I read Larry and the Guv's posts it did make me feel as uncomfortable as Forester obviously was, though I did think to start with that he was only agreeing with Richthofen to defuse a tense moment and not fall foul of his captain. Despite my own first and third story being the result of my main character's hatred/fear of Klingons, I was kinda writing them as squabbling children that you might have sympathised with and understood but also wanted to knock their heads together so they'd straighten up and fly right. Actually having your character agree within himself, in that private corner of his own mind, was very telling--and brutally honest.

I just learned something today. Thanks, Kieran. 

Oh, good tie-in to the novels with that reference to Rittenhouse.

[Commander La'ra]

I feel the Guv's comments are very insightful into the 'modern' mindset that is prevalent in todays society. It is impressed on us again and again that we are not allowed to hate The Other, we are not allowed to distrust The Other, that if we just try harder to understand The Other they will come to respect us for who we are just as we try to respect them for who they are.

The Catch-22 here is that if we start hating and distrusting The Other simply because they're The Other, any possibility that mutual understanding will come to be diminishes radically.

While his feelings are understandable, Richthofen is still expressing what are some every ugly, ignorant feelings.  He's showing us one of humanity's darker aspects, and worse, he doesn't seem to be the type of fellow who gives that a second thought.  The trend in modern society toward such things being a bad thing isn't neccesarily a negative, but there will always be hatred, always be rascism, always be the urge to destroy what frightens us.  That stuff is in us for a reason, but we do need to learn to control those tendencies because we're not always in the life and death situations that I think they're there for..  It can be argued, though, that the Federation as portrayed in TNG has gone a little too far in the other direction. 'Moderation', as the Guv said, can be important.

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

I love this discussion, guys, and I'm glad you all enjoyed this little piece. I can only hope succeeding pieces can be as thought-provoking as this one. Thanks, you guys.

And for all that haven't commented yet... would love to hear your opinions!

[Governor Ronjar]

Heh... I'm just waitin' for Andy's retort... I'm gonna enjoy this conversation!

--thu guv!

[Scottish Andy]

Okay, well, I wasn't actually going to retort until I saw the Guv's post. Now I suppose I will. 

The Catch-22 here is that if we start hating and distrusting The Other simply because they're The Other, any possibility that mutual understanding will come to be diminishes radically.

Well, obviously. The reason we are so far over the other side of the spectrum is because what came before was so ugly and horrible (cf. American anti-Black racisim of the early 1900s) that people rightly decided, "enough of this! we need to start teaching our kids better so this doesn't happen to them."

These attitudes swing like a pendulum. Back in WWII it was okay to hate the enemy because they started a war of conquest against the Good Guys, so that made them the Bad Guys. One section of one bunch of Bad Guys started a genocide against their own citizens. That made them Evil. Simple. Black and white. Clear cut.

Once it was over, the pendulum swung the other way and "this can never happen again!" was the rallying cry. Unfortunately, it has swing too far into "all war is bad, we don't need to actually fight to win this" is a strongly espoused viewpoint, regardless of how many actually are espousing it.

But there are always the extremes. To far one way has the blacks and the jews getting and extremely short end of the stick. Too far the other way and you have people bending over backwards and destroying their own culture, values, and history to accommodate the "new blood", because their rights to their values in your country trumps your own rights to your values in your country.

As always, and as I always say (if not always succeed in living), everything is a balance. Choose the elevated centre of the road and not the gutters of the extreme left or right. Centrists should rule. Make me King! 

[Commander La'ra]

These attitudes swing like a pendulum. Back in WWII it was okay to hate the enemy because they started a war of conquest against the Good Guys, so that made them the Bad Guys. One section of one bunch of Bad Guys started a genocide against their own citizens. That made them Evil. Simple. Black and white. Clear cut.

Yet here is where modern society has changed.

It used to be very very easy to paint all the members of some opposing group with the same 'evil' brush, but the world continues to shrink.  We talk to people from other countries on the internet, we watch their movies, read their books, peer into their living rooms with webcams, etc. 

In the '40's, it was 'okay to hate the enemy' because to most of us, the enemy was this huge monolithic threat.  It's easier to hate a mindless Nazi stooge than it is to hate Schmidt, who has three kids, a wife, and has never set foot in a death camp and probably doesn't believe they really exist.

This is progress, I think, because that's bringing us closer to seeing the world how it really is.  It has it's disadvantages, sure, but do we really wanna abandon a more honest perspective for the simplicity of the 1940's?

[Governor Ronjar]

Okay, well, I wasn't actually going to retort until I saw the Guv's post. Now I suppose I will. 

Ah...

I waited and waited...and decided all it needed was one little push...

Now I sit back and watch the fireworks. Life is sooo good.

--thu guv!!!

[Commander La'ra]

Now I sit back and watch the fireworks. Life is sooo good.

You are such an instigator.

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

Hey guys,

Next one will be up today or tomorrow. If you haven't commented on the first one yet.. now would be a good time to share your thoughts. Come on, I want to hear it!

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

Interlude II - A Complicated Paradise
--------------------------------------------
Katain Quad, Starfleet Academy
January 9, 2272

Cadet Kieran Forester strode across the quad, a spring in his step as he breathed the crisp morning air. It was a beautiful San Francisco morning, the warm amber sunlight only accentuating the pristinely maintained beauty of the Academy grounds. Friends waved, shouting their greetings, and freshmen stepped out of his way. Yes, a pleasant morning indeed, he thought to himself.

"So, is there some reason you look so inordinately pleased with yourself, or are you just on your way to mess with a plebe or two before your first class?" inquired a playful voice behind him. Cadet Heather Lanier bounded up next to him with a smile on her face, locks of raven black hair streaming wildly behind her. "You look like the cat that ate the canary."

Kieran couldn't help smiling; one of his best friends since freshman year, Heather's upbeat, playful demeanor had always been annoyingly contagious. "What, I can't be in a good mood?" he responded in kind. "Let's see... I'm a senior in the top tenth of my class starting my last semester. I have a wonderful girlfriend who, for some reason, adores me..."

Heather's smile faded for a moment, and she felt her body tense momentarily. The remnant of a sigh passed her lips, but she quickly recovered and quickened her steps to catch up with her friend, who hadn't noticed her brief change in expression. "...and, finally, in six months I'll be reporting to my first starship assignment. So, yeah, I guess I'm in a good mood. How about you?"

Her reply was cut off by a shout. "Hey Kieran!" The pair turned in unison, eyes squinting in the morning sun as they watched a third cadet hurrying to catch up. As he drew closer, Kieran identified the hulking flaxen haired cadet as another close friend, Holger Raske, a fellow tactical specialist a year behind him. Kieran grinned.

"There you are, you tormiik. I commed you when I left this morning."

"Sorry. My kaelling roommate didn't set the alarm last night. I was lucky I didn't oversleep more than a few minutes. Anyway, where are you two headed?"

"I'm still heading over to the Pilot's Lounge if you want to get a cup of coffee," Kieran replied. "You coming, Heather?"

The female cadet shook her head. "Sorry, not this morning. I've got to get over to Cobaryn Hall before classes start; there's some last minute stuff I have to take care of on one of my projects. Meet you for lunch, though?"

Kieran and Holger nodded their assent. "Great. Later, Heather."

"See ya!" She waved and rushed off.

"That girl has entirely too much energy," Kieran murmured. "Either that or she's some elemental spirit incarnated in human form."

"Hm," Holger grunted in reply. "You know she's still holding a torch for you?"

Kieran squinted in surprise at his friend. "What are you talking about? She got over that a long time ago. We're good friends, that's all."

Holger shrugged. "Whatever, man. I know that's what you say, but I'm not stupid. She's got a serious crush on you, still, for some ungodly strange reason." The older cadet rolled his eyes and mimed punching Holger in the chest. "Speaking of the few girls on campus that actually like you for some reason, where's Katrin?"

"Don't know. Haven't seen her since we got back from break, actually."

"And you haven't talked to her or gone to see her since getting back?" Holger winced. "I see some expensive flowers and a very expensive dinner in your future, my friend." Whatever retort Kieran was thinking was cut off as Holger nudged his arm. "Hey. Speak of the devil, there she is. You'd better go beg her forgiveness. A little worshipping at her feet wouldn't hurt either. I'm told they like that."

"Shut up." Kieran gestured rudely at his friend. "I'll meet you in the Lounge as soon as I'm done, all right?"

Holger waved. "Yeah, that'll work. See ya over there."

Talking to several other female cadets, Katrin was unaware of his approach. She squeaked in surprise as Kieran hooked her arm in his and pulled her around for a kiss. Her friends were all smiles as they slid away, leaving the couple to themselves. "Missed you over break," Kieran murmured, as his head slid down in search of a second kiss. He was deflected, however, as Katrin took a step back, a troubled expression on her face.

"Kieran, we... we need to talk," she began, her voice soft with trepidation.

"Uhm, okay," he agreed. A silent alarm began going off in his mind as he listened to her tone. "Something the matter?"

Her face looked up into his as she answered his question with one of her own. "How do you see our future?"

Kieran blinked in surprise. "Our future? What do you mean?"

"What do you think is going to happen in the next few months? With us?"

"Well... uhm, I...don't know exactly. I mean, I'll be done after this semester, and I'll be going to my first posting. I... just don't know what kind of chances we'll have to see each other at that point. Hell, for all we know, I could be posted to some dirty outpost at the edge of Federation space. Do you really want to try and maintain a long range relationship on that kind of scale?" As he studied his girlfriend of just over a year, a surge of adrenaline went through him as he saw something in her eyes. It was never something he could exactly identify, just an odd feeling... a feeling that that might not have been the right thing to say. He tried a different tack. "Why are you asking me this? You've never been concerned with this before."

She shook her head, her features hardening and an accusing glint in her eye. "I've been wondering recently what you thought of this relationship." Kieran thought he heard a faint quiver find its way into her voice. "Now I suppose I know the answer." She began to turn away, but Kieran quickly stepped around her and blocked her path.

"Talysr's eye, Katrin, we're cadets! I'm graduating in six months, and you've still got two and a half years! We have no way of knowing how things will go after graduation... every Academy couple knows that! What's the reason for all this, anyway? Why is this bothering you so much?"

"What reason?" As Katrin began speaking, Kieran noticed her cheeks starting to flush, and the quaver in her voice getting more noticeable. He grimaced inwardly; all the signs of her German temper coming to the surface. "The reason is that I'm pregnant, you dreckskerl!"

The silence struck like a hammer. Kieran opened his mouth and closed it several times, stupified. Paralyzed in his surprise, he watched a tear run down Kaitrin's face. Her eyes searched his, waiting for some kind of reaction. Anything. Finally, he felt his mouth start to work again. "Well, that... That changes things, then--"

"Oh, that changes things, does it?" Katrin's momentary hysteria had passed; however, it was evident from the storm on her brow and the set to her jaw that she wasn't happy at all with his answer. "I've just told you I'm carrying your child, and all you can say is 'that changes things'? Thank you, Cadet Obvious!" Her control was slipping again; her voice was choked with small sobs, and fresh tears flowed down her cheeks. She managed to turn away before she lost herself completely; Kieran could hear her crying as she stormed away.

"Wait! Katrin!" He took a step as if to follow.

"Why don't you come back when you have something better to say, arschloch!" Kieran stopped in his tracks, a sigh passing through his lips. Better to give her time to calm down, and try to talk to her again later tonight, he reasoned.

Besides, I need to think about what I'm going to tell her...

[Governor Ronjar]

What a very busy morning for Cadet Kieran!

I'm so very glad my mornings before work are more subdued. I just stagger out of my house half-awake, hop bleary-eyed behind the wheel of a 2 ton vehicle and barrel at 80 mph down the highway to work. Not nearly so dangerous as Kieran's morning. And he's only a CADET!

The morning scene above is one of those, that if it happened to you, you'd just be staggered. You portray the whole college/academy scene rather well. I liked the whole tidbit about freshmen clearing the way. Do we get to see any Kieran hazing rituals? (hazing or getting hazed...?) Anywho, I liked over all. But I can see this cadet's week being very bad, or very good depending on how he handles things...

--thu guv!

[Commander La'ra]

Yeah, that's the kind of morning you end up spending with Jack Daniels and Captain Morgan.

Well done, Kieran.

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

Thanks for the comments, guys... at least I know someone's reading. Glad you guys enjoyed this little snippet.

And no, Guv, I'm afraid we won't see any of Kieran hazing or being hazed. At least not for now. Who knows, maybe one day I'll go back and write a 'Kieran at the Academy' story.

I so could spoil the ending by saying how things end up... but I think I'll hold off for now. I think Larry and Andy already know what happens. If you want to know, I can tell you, or you can find my old timeline that's floating around the forum somewhere. Speaking of which, I really need to redo that timeline...

La'ra - Oh, Kieran's definitely going to have the worst hangover of his life the next morning.

Now... all the rest of you deadbeats get in here and comment! I demand feedback!

[Governor Ronjar]

'Tis the time of drought in comment land...

idly looking off into the oasis...

--thu guv...!

[KOTH-KieranXC, Ret.]

Yeah, I guess so.

Don't make me unleash Kezef the Chaos Hound on you, you... non-commenters, you!

(Sorry... semi-obscure Forgotten Realms reference there...)

[Lara]

Two interesting and thought provoking pieces. 

When I first read the words, "We have met the enemy and he is us." I comprehended it deeply and completely. Race and its effects are a part of my daily life,  being black and female and northern my take on the entire mess is a bit out of step.

Yes, there are peope who hate the Other, and there are people who hate themselves and it can play out the same way.

And I hhave a problem with 'if we respect them, they'll respect us,' logic.  That is not a valid social contract. If we respect them, we can respect us, is more valid. Until we respect ourselves, we won't be giving anyone else much more than scraps.  And if we want them to resepct us, we need to know how structure a contract that allows it.

At this point I should mention that the first race war I experienced was between Irish Catholics nd Italia Catholics, and as a smll child it baffled me beyond logic and understanding.



Now...

She's pregnant. They are in college. I have to hope that by then, reproductive control is a it bttre managed, and as such, my reaction to this is, Jeez! They're too frelling stupid to live!

Rock On

Lara